Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
Acorn Andrea Oberto Atlas Peak Benziger Beringer Blandy's Bodega Navarro Correas Burgans Cantina Terlano Chimney Rock Chronicle Domaine Carneros Domaine de la Mordoree Dow's Dr. Loosen Emilio Lustau Fonseca Foxen Gaston Riviere Glen Ellen Hess Collection Innocent Bystander Kendall-Jackson Korbel La Caudrina Luna Vineyards Madeira Wine Company Martin Codax Masi Merryvale Mulderbosch Navarro Vineyards Pahlmeyer Roederer Estate Ruggeri Sawyer Cellars Sbragia Six Sigma Winery St. James Steltzner Vineyards Trinchero Winery Trione V. Sattui Winery William Fevre Wilson Winery
Category Archives: Muscat
Cascina Castle’t Moscato d’Asti 2008
Cascina Castle’t, Moscato d’Asti 2008 This wine is delightful in its expression of orange blossoms with an added complexity from the extra year in the bottle – creamy and delicious. Estate bottled by Maria Borio in Costigliole d’Asti 5.5% purchased … Continue reading
Quady Elysium 2006
Quady, California, Elysium, Black Muscat 2006 The nose features a grapy/berry expression, a bit liquer-like. In the mouth it is light-bodied and sweet, reminiscent of fresh raspberries and grape jelly – nice. Winemaker Michael Blaylock. P&B in Madera, L0702, 15% … Continue reading
Jaboulet Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2007
Paul Jaboulet Aine, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Le Chant des Griolles 2007 The nose features the expected orange blossom of Muscat with the region’s typical spiritous character in the subtly in the background. In the mouth you’ll find oranges and cinnamon, … Continue reading
Posted in Fortified dessert, France, Late Harvest White, Muscat, Muscat Beaumes de Venise, Rhône, White Dessert
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Quady Electra 2009
Quady, California, Orange Muscat, Electra 2009 This wine features much of the taste of fresh Muscat with petillance and acidity to balance the thickness. RS is in the range of 16- 17% and the wine is bottled under Stelvin. This … Continue reading
Vignalta Sirio Dry Moscato 2007
Vignalta, Moscato del Veneto IGT, Dry, Sirio 2007 It’s quite interesting tasting this wine 3 years on since the grapes were harvested. Often I drink up dry Muscats like this fairly soon. Tonight we have wine though, that is still … Continue reading
La Caudrina Moscato d’Asti 2009
La Caudrina, Moscato d’Asti 2009 This is a consistent wine, with a repeat of notes from the previous vintage: a lovely sense of orange blossoms in the nose while the mouth is sweet and ethereal – very nice. Estate bottled … Continue reading
Navarro Edelzwicker 2008
Navarro Vineyards, Mendocino Table Wine, Edelzwicker 2008 The flowers are vibrant when you smell this wine – really delightful. In the mouth the fruit combines nicely with the sweetness. You’ll also pick up a sense of the Gewurz and its … Continue reading
Posted in California, Gewurztraminer, Mendocino County, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Grigio, Riesling
Tagged Navarro Vineyards
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St. Supery Moscato 2008
St. Supery, California, Moscato 2008 There’s a light dusting of sweet flowers in the nose. In the mouth it is light-bodied and lightly sweet with a bit of bitterness. P&B in Rutherford 9.6% purchased for $8.49 at Bottle Barn – 375 ml bottle … Continue reading
La Caudrina Moscato d’Asti 2008
La Caudrina, Moscato d’Asti 2008 There’s a lovely sense of orange blossoms in the nose while the mouth is sweet and ethereal – very nice. Estate bottled in Castiglione Tinella 5.5% purchased for $15.99 at Bottle Barn
Robert Mondavi Moscato d’Oro 2007
Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, Moscato d’Oro 2007 In the nose you’ll find a light waft of the orange blossoms we associate with Muscat. In the mouth the wine is clean and fruity, a light expression of Muscat as dessert, fresh … Continue reading
Posted in California, Late Harvest White, Muscat, Napa Valley, White Dessert
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Chambers Rutherglen Muscat
Chambers Rosewood Vineyards, Rutherglen, Muscat nv The nose smells of oranges and brown spices, as if wound into a custard. In the mouth the wine is rich, very complex, soft and luxurious. This wine and others like it from Rutherglen … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Fortified dessert, Muscat, Rutherglen, Victoria
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Il Conte d’Alba Moscato d’Asti
Il Conte d’Alba, Moscato d’Asti DOCG nv This wine smells of ginger and flowers while in the mouth it is sweet and lightly fizzy. It’s almost perfect except for a bit of TCA which unfortunately is adding a bit of … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Muscat, Piemonte, Sparkling sweet
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Martin & Weyrich Moscato Allegro 2007
Martin & Weyrich, California, Moscato, Allegro 2007 The orange blossoms are alight in the glass when you pick it up. In the mouth it is light, airy, fruity, flowery, sweet and delightful. Fermentation was stopped early to lock in the … Continue reading
Posted in California, Muscat, Sparkling sweet
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La Spinetta Moscato 2008
La Spinetta, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Bricco Quaglia 2008 Heaven in a glass, with plenty of flowers, lovely sweetness, light effervesence and freshness all day. This is a personal favorite from the legend. I was blessed to meet Rivetti before the … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Moscato d'Asti, Muscat, Piemonte, Sparkling sweet
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Martini & Rossi Asti nv
Martini & Rossi, Asti DOCG nv The fruit is rather muted in this wine, smelling mildly of citrus overlayed with butter. In the mouth it is buttery, almost oily, with the fruit in the background. The grapes are all Moscato … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Muscat, Piemonte, Sparkling sweet
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Ceretto Moscato d’Asti 2008
I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano, Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2008 The orange blossoms are alight in the nose of this wine. On the palate it is beautifully sweet, tasting of tangerines with a dusting of powdered sugar – delicious. The grapes … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Muscat, Piemonte, Sparkling sweet
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deLorimier Lace 2006
deLorimier, Alexander Valley, Estate Bottled, Late Harvest, Lace 2006 This is rich and tropical with a lovely sense of dried apricots and balancing acidity. The botrytised grapes behind the wine are 55% Muscat Blanc and 45% Semillon, harvested at 29.9 … Continue reading
Navarro Muscat 2007
Navarro Vineyards, Anderson Valley, Estate Bottled, Dry Muscat 2007 This wine has consistently dazzled with the ebulent smell of Muscat in a dry format. The ’07 is spot-on again with loads of orange blossom in the nose. In the mouth … Continue reading
Posted in Anderson Valley, California, Mendocino County, Muscat
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Quady Electra 2007
Quady, California, Orange Muscat, Electra 2007 This wine features an abundance of citrus in a very fresh way, as if you were cutting open an organge. There’s plenty of sweetness to pair this with a fresh fruit tart or just … Continue reading
Posted in California, Muscat, White Dessert
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Robert Hall Muscat 2008
Robert Hall, Paso Robles, Margaret’s Vineyard, Orange Muscat 2008 This is sweet smelling perfume in a bottle. This is the lighter side of dessert wine with an RS level that is just above what we might call semi-sweet table wine … Continue reading
Posted in California, Muscat, Paso Robles
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Bonterra Muscat 2007
Bonterra, Lake County, Bartolucci Vineyard, Muscat 2007 The muscat perfume is there though not as vibrant and fresh as in previous incarnations. The mouth is moderately sweet and medium bodied, tasting of sweet ginger ale. This wine brings back memories … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Muscat
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Quady Essensia 2007
Quady, California, Essensia, Orange Muscat 2007 Citrus, flowers and herbal notes and a hint of the fortifying spirit mark the nose. The mouth is fresh and citrussy, sweet but not cloying with a little appropriate warmth. P&B in Madera 15% … Continue reading
Posted in California, Muscat, White Dessert
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La Spinetta Moscato d’Asti 2007
La Spinetta, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Bricco Quaglia 2007 This is a personal favorite from the legend. I was blessed to meet Rivetti before the skyrocket to fame. This wine remains an affordable way to taste some of this estate’s expertise. … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Moscato d'Asti, Muscat, Piemonte, Sparkling sweet
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deLorimier Lace 2004
deLorimier, Alexander Valley, Estate Bottled, Late Harvest, Lace 2004 The nose combines bananas, caramel and minerality. The mouth is viscous without being cloying showcasing the tropical fruit in a rich way, as if dazzled with honey. The botrytised grapes behind … Continue reading
Carpenter envy
James David, Paso Robles, Penman Springs Vineyard, Muscat Blanc 2007 There’s a great variety of floral notes, from the sweet ones like honesuckle to roses and spicey numbers. The mouth is light-bodied and citrusy with a real sense of eating … Continue reading
Posted in California, Muscat, Paso Robles
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Yet another Muscat
Maculan, Veneto Moscato IGT, Dindarello 2006 There’s the sweet smells of orange blossom and ginger and a thick while vibrantly fruity palate – delicious. The grapes are all Muscat from the Dindarello Vineyard in Breganze. The grapes are dried for … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Muscat, Veneto, White Dessert
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Different desserts
Bonterra, Lake County, Bartolucci Vineyard, Muscat 2004 This wine has been well-made since the good old days when the you could taste it at the beautiful Valley Oaks facility. There are the compelling floral notes associated with Muscat plus some … Continue reading
Posted in California, Cucamonga Valley, Lake County, Muscat, Sherry, White Dessert
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The diversity that is sparkling wine
J, Russian River Valley, cuvee 20 nv Clean, fresh, fruit, tasted at the winery in May. This wine has the zip of fresh green apples. The base wine is from a recent vintage with 25% oak-aged reserves adding to the … Continue reading
Posted in California, Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Italy, Moscato d'Asti, Muscat, Piemonte, Sparkling sweet
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Summer dessert with a sparkle
Michele Chiarlo Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2007 Perfect White Muscat smells of orange blossoms and a multitude of other flowers. In the mouth one feels like you’ve just popped a handful of flowers passed your lips, with sweetness and delicacy. P&B … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Moscato d'Asti, Muscat, Piemonte, Sweet Sparkling
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4 Alternatives when you’re feeling dry
Navarro Anderson Valley Estate Bottle Dry Muscat 2006 This wine has consistently dazzled with the ebulent smell of Muscat in a dry format. Tonight it is perfect again. P&B in the little hamlet of Philo 13.5% $19 at the winery … Continue reading